The Southern University Jaguars (5-0, 5-2) came into Spinks-Casem Stadium on October 29th looking to stop a five year losing streak against Alcorn State University (3-3, 3-4) but the Braves had other ideas.
The first quarter saw the two first place titans jockeying for position as the Jaguars got on the board first at the 11:40 mark when running back Lenard Tillery scored on a 12 yard run and with kicker Ruan Albuqerque’s extra point the score was 7-0, Jags. The Braves responded at the 7:37 mark when quarterback Lenorris Footman scored on a 21 yard run but the point after attempt (PAT) was no good leaving the score 7-6, Jags. Southern scored at the 3:40 mark when Albuqerque hit a 39 yard field goal making the score 10-6, Jags. The Braves scored last in the quarter when Footman connected with wide receiver Norlando Veals and with kicker Haiden McCraney’s PAT the score was now 10-13, Braves.
The second quarter was dominated by the Jaguars. At the 9:00 minute mark Jags quarterback Austin Howard hit wide receiver Curtlan Williams with a 33 yard pass and with a successful Albuqerque extra point the score was now 17-13, Jags. Southern continued their dominance when Howard hit tight end Dillon Beard with a 10 yard strike with only 31 seconds left in the quarter and with an Albuqerque extra point the score was 24-13, Jags.
The third quarter saw history made at Spinks-Casem Stadium when Southern’s Tillery became the new Southwestern Athletic Conference’s (SWAC) All Time Leading Rusher with 4,132 yards and counting. The Jags scored at the 13:51 mark when Tillery scored on a 63 yard scamper to the end zone and with an Albuqerque extra point the score was 31-13, Jags. The Braves, who had not scored since the first quarter, finally scored at the 10:11 mark when Footman scored on a 83 yard run to pay dirt and with a McCraney PAT the score was now 31-20, Jags. Southern, at this point, looked like an unstoppable juggernaut when Tillery scored yet again at the 7:02 mark with a 22 yard run and with yet another successful Albuqerque extra point the score was now 38-20, Jags.
The fourth quarter became a do or die quarter for the Braves. Alcorn scored at the 13:15 mark when Footman scored on a 3 yard run into the end zone and with a McCraney PAT the score was 38-26, Jags. The Jags, not to be outdone, scored at the 2:22 mark when Albuqerque nailed a 47 yard field goal making the score 41-26. The Braves, in a last ditch effort to make the score look respectable, scored with 35 seconds left in the quarter when Footman hit wide receiver Raidarious Anderson with a 23 yard pass and with a McCraney extra point the final score was 41-33, Jags.
The Braves can’t afford to take any time off because their next opponent doesn’t get any easier. They take on the Prairie View A&M Panthers (5-1, 6-2) on November 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm at Panther Stadium in Prairie View, Texas.